 |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The first 20% of the full text of this section appears below. |
Section 3. Summaries of Infectious Diseases
Hemorrhagic Fevers Caused by Arenaviruses 116
Clinical ManifestationsEtiology
Epidemiology
Diagnostic Tests
Treatment
Isolation of the Hospitalized Patient
Control Measures
 Top Next |
|---|
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
The arenaviruses include lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and the agents of 5 hemorrhagic fevers (HFs): Bolivian, Argentine, Brazilian, Venezuelan, and Lassa. The zoonotic diseases associated with these agents range in severity from mild, acute, febrile infections to severe illnesses in which vascular leak, shock, and multiorgan dysfunction are prominent features. Fever, headache, myalgia, conjunctival suffusion, bleeding, and abdominal pain are common early symptoms in all infections. Thrombocytopenia, axillary petechiae, and encephalopathy usually are present in Argentine HF, Bolivian HF, and Venezuelan HF, and exudative pharyngitis often occurs in Lassa fever. Mucosal bleeding occurs in severe cases as a consequence of vascular damage, thrombocytopenia, and platelet dysfunction. Proteinuria is common, but renal failure is unusual. Increased serum concentrations of aspartate transaminase can indicate a severe or fatal outcome of Lassa fever. Shock develops 7 to 9 days after onset of illness in more severely ill patients with these infections. Upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms can develop in people with Lassa fever. Encephalopathic signs such as tremor, alterations in consciousness, and seizures can occur in the South American HFs and in severe cases of Lassa fever.
|
TopPreviousNext |
|---|
ETIOLOGY
Arenaviruses are RNA viruses. The major New World arenavirus hemorrhagic fevers occurring in the Western hemisphere are Argentine HF caused by Junin
Related Articles
Red Book 2009 2009: 214-220.
Red Book 2009 2009: 437-438.